Statement on Quinnipiac Poll

Bill Hancock, the Executive Director of the Bowl Championship Series, issued the following statement in response to a Quinnipiac poll on college football's postseason:

"It's easy to support a hypothetical playoff on paper, but no one has come up with a viable way to actually create one without diminishing the value of the regular season and ending the bowl games as we know them. Yes, a playoff could be created, but at a tremendous loss to the unique game that we love."

Background information

Support for a playoff appears to be weakening

A 2007 Gallup Poll found that fans favored some sort of playoff system over the BCS by an 85-15 margin, 22 points higher than today's findings. (Read more.)

Playoffs "losing support among college presidents"

Playoffs are "losing support among college presidents," according to Ohio State University President Gordon Gee. "I can assure you there is no support among the college presidents in this country for a BCS playoff system," said Gee. "Furthermore, if anything there is a move back to (further embracing) the bowl system. So I would have to say that (the thought of an extended playoff) is losing support among college presidents." (Read more.)

College football is more popular than ever

Since the BCS began in 1998, attendance at college football games has increased 35 percent -- from 27.6 million to 37.4 million last year. Not only are more people watching from the stands, but more people are watching at home, too. In 2009, for example, 26.8 million viewers saw college football's title game between Oklahoma and Florida. By comparison, the 2009 NCAA men's basketball championship game was watched by 17.6 million. Likewise, the 2009 World Series between the Phillies and the Yankees averaged 19.3 million viewers per game.

The BCS is successful

The BCS has proven to be the best format to match up college football's number one and two teams, while preserving the heritage and success of the bowl system. Prior to the formation of the BCS, the Associated Press's number one and two teams met in bowl games only eight times in 56 seasons. In contrast, since the conferences agreed to the BCS format 12 years ago, the top two teams have played every year by BCS measurements and nine times according to the AP poll.